Tie lifter and holder

ABSTRACT

An improved design that would allow one workman to easily elevate a heavy concrete tie to the base of the rail and hold it in position while tie is connected to the rail with retainer clips. Improvements are made in the handle design that allow the workman to remain in a more upright position at the time the tie comes in contact with the rail. Also added is a safety grip ring near the upper end of the handle. Design improvements are also made at the foot end of the handle unit. At this point the improved tool design will allow more leverage to be applyed to the tie and a varity of hook devises to be used on lower end of tool, depending on what type of concrete tie is to be used.  
                       IMPROVED TIE LIFTER AND HOLDER               Field of search   294/15-17,19.1,         294/26,82.1,         82.11; 254/43,44,         113,119-121,131           References Cited           U.S. Patent Documents                           907,034   12-1908   Gracey   294   17     978,618   12-1910   Moore   254   121     124,749    3-1872   Koontz   294   17     1,297,453    3-1919   Emmons et al.   254   121     1,317,145    9-1919   Skantz   254   120     1,389,393    8-1921   Stolle   254   43     1,590,145    6-1926   Wright   254   121     1,695,660   12-1928   Major et al.   254   121     2,156,735    5-1939   Packer   254   121     2,837,313    6-1958   Rogowski   254   121     2,846,259    8-1958   Sadler   254   131     5,165,661   11-1992   Wright   254   131     6,209,936    4-2001   Radke   254   121           Foreign Patent Documents                           27,121    1-1955   Finland   254   120

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPILATIONS

[0001] “Not Applicable”

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] “Not Applicable”

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

[0003] “Not Applicable”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention has reference to improvements in devices for elevating railway ties; in this case, concrete railway ties, and holding them in place, and in contact with the rail while such rail is being connected therewith, with retainer clips. The railway industry in recent years have been using concrete ties to replace the original wood ties and this has increased the weight of the ties two to three hundred percent, Concrete ties require new methods and new types of tools to handle them. Ref; U.S. Pat. No. 978,618 to J. T. Moore, U.S. Pat. No. 1,297,453 to E. B. Emmons and E. T. Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 1,695,660 to W. W. Major et-al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,156,735 to C. F Packer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,837,313 to F. J. Rogowski. The formentiond prior art devices may have been suitable for lighter wood ties but when working with the new concrete ties there design would be unsafe and not practical to use. The object of the improvements is to design a handle and tie hook system whereas it is more adaptable for use with heavy concrete ties and at the same time safer and easer for the worker to use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The improved concrete tie lifting tool is designed to elevate and hold a heavy concrete tie in place while retainer clips are installed to connect the tie to the rail flange. Without departing from the spirit of the invention, let it be understood that the newly designed foot-handle unit, link chain and hook are necessary to safely elevate and hold a heavy concrete tie.

[0006] The advantages and objects of the improved tool will become easy to see from the following brief description of the drawings and understood when read in connection with the detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 Shows a side elevational view of the tool in the act of elevating a tie

[0008]FIG. 2 Shows a side elevational view illustrating the tool in its active position

[0009]FIG. 3 Shows a cross-section on the broken line x-x of FIG. 2

DETAILED DESCRIPITION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] As seen in the drawings FIG. 1 is a design of a conventional rail of which consist of a rail head 12, a web 13 and a base or flange 14 by which it is secured in place. In FIG. 3 mounted on the rail is a bearing unit 3 having a downwardly projected support 16 at one side and a downwardly projected flange 15 on the oppsite side, the support 16 is provided with an inwardly turned flange 17 adapted to bear against the web 13. Shown in FIG. 1 is the connection of the lower end of the handle 1 and the upper end of the foot, 2 this connection is held together by two bolts 6 and two nuts 5 and forms the foot 2 handle 1 combination unit. In FIG. 3 it shows the foot 2 resting against the spacer 11 and support 16. The foot 2 is pivotally mounted to the bearing unit 3 with a single bolt 6 and washer 10 and is connected to bearing unit 6 with a nut 7. Referring to FIG. 2 a cant hook 9 is carried by an ambidextrous device, in this case a link chain 8 and is connected with a bolt 6 and a nut 7 to the forward end of the foot. 2 FIG. 1 when the tie 19 is at a downwardly position and when it is desired to elevate the tie 19 to engage the base or flange 14 of the rail the tool is then positioned on the rail, the foot end 2 is exetend down to a point just above the tie, 19 at this point the connecting chain 8 and the cant hook 9 will be in position to engage the clip retainer 18 and at this point the handle 1 will be in a somewhat to mostly vertical position depending on the distance that the tie 19 is below the rail flange 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011]FIG. 2 upon pressure being brought to bear downwardly upon the upper handhold end of the handle 1 the force thereof FIG. 3 causes the flange 17 to tightly engage the face of the web 13 and flange 15 to similarly engage the edge of the rail, whereby the bearing 3 is held tightly in place, providing a rigid point of support for the foot-handle unit 2 and 1. Notice should be taken that even when the tie 19 is elevated to it's most elevated position FIG. 2 the upper end of the handle 1 with the safety grip ring 4 is still a safe and comfortable position well above the rail for the safety and comfort of the worker. Also somewhere between FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 if a tie is out of line or needs to be moved for or aft parallel with the rail it can be accomplished by moving the tool forward or backward on the rail before elevating the tie. The improvements in this tool are designed so no more than one person can us this tool at one time.

Objects of the Invention

[0012]1. Handle unit

[0013]2. Foot

[0014]3. Bearing support unit

[0015]4. Safety grip ring

[0016]5. Nuts

[0017]6. Bolts

[0018]7. Nuts

[0019]8. Link chain

[0020]9. Cant hook

[0021]10. Washer

[0022]11. Spacer

[0023]12. Rail head

[0024]13. Rail web

[0025]14. Rail flange

[0026]15. Bearing flange

[0027]16. Bearing support

[0028]17. Bearing flange

[0029]18. Clip retainer

[0030]19. Tie 

What I claim:
 1. A lifting tool suitable for use in elevating various types of concrete railroad ties, said tool having a bearing member mounted onto and running parallel to and on opposite sides of a rail, where as support side of said bearing member is suitable for mounting the foot-handle unit; wherein the improvements comprises of, said foot-handle unit pivotally connected to said support side of said bearing member at foot end of said foot-handle unit; said foot-handle unit consisting of a pipe or tubing, said foot-handle unit having an upwardly curved portion at lower end a downwardly curved portion at upper end; a cant hook connected to lower end of said foot-handle unit with an ambidextrous device, in this case a link chain. `
 2. A method of raising a concrete tie to the base of rail comprising: (a) providing a tool having a bearing member a ambidextrous device, in this case a link chain with a cant hook mounted to lower end of tool; (b) placing the bearing member on the rail head such that the bearing member flange and support extend substantially parallel to and on opposite sides of the rail; (c) attaching the cant hook to the clip retainer of the concrete tie on the foot-handle unit side of rail; and (d) bearing downwardly on an upper end of the tool so that the lower end of the tool is elevated thereby lifting the tie towards the rail. 